A baby must make many physical adjustments to life outside the mother's body because leaving the uterus

means that a baby can no longer depend on the mother's circulation and placenta for important physiologic functions. Luckily most newborn babies body systems work together in a new way. But sometimes, a baby has difficulty making the transition to the world. Being born prematurely, having a difficult delivery or birth defects can make these changes more challenging. Fortunately for these babies, special newborn care is available. This is proven by a certain unit in a hospital which we call neonatal intensive care unit, So what is nicu or Sometimes it is also called a special care nursery, an intensive care nursery, newborn intensive care, A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a unit specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. They look after infants whose conditions are life-threatening and need constant, close monitoring and support from equipment and medication in order to maintain normal bodily functions. In general, babies may be sent to the NICU if: o o o they're born prematurely difficulties occur during their deliveries they show signs of a problem in the first few days of life

Common cases in NICU and how to diagnose them Anemia One of the more common blood disorders, anemia is a low number of red blood cells in the blood. Babies who are anemic may: have apnea (stop breathing for 20 seconds or more) have low blood pressure have a high heart rate seem sleepy

How is it diagnosed? A doctor can diagnose anemia with a blood test called a complete blood count, or CBC. Apnea Although it's perfectly normal for everyone to experience occasional pauses in breathing, newborns who don't take at least one breath in 20 seconds or more have a condition called apnea. During an apnea spell: the baby stops breathing the heart rate may decrease

The skin may turn pale, purplish, or blue from lack of oxygen.

How is it diagnosed? To accurately diagnose apnea, doctors monitor a baby's breathing rate in the NICU and may order a polysomnogram, which involves attaching the baby to several monitors and observing the infant for about 8 to 12 hours. A pneumogram provides information about the baby's heart rate, breathing, and oxygen saturation in the blood. Hydrocephalus Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain." How is it diagnosed? Doctors suspect hydrocephalus if a baby has a particularly large head or if head size increases rapidly. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test can confirm this suspicion. Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) Intraventricular hemorrhage is bleeding in the brain. Severe cases may cause a drop in blood pressure or seizures. Many times the hemorrhage is found by ultrasound. Other symptoms could include: a weak suck high-pitched cry apnea bradycardia anemia

Breathing pauses (apnea) Changes in blood pressure and heart rate Decreased muscle tone Decreased reflexes Excessive sleep Lethargy Weak suck How is it diagnosed? It's diagnosed with an ultrasound of the head so that doctors can look for collections of blood in the brain. Jaundice

Jaundice is a high level of bilirubin in the blood (bilirubin is a byproduct of the natural breakdown of blood cells, and the liver usually "recycles" it back into the body). Although mild jaundice is fairly common in full-term babies, it's much more common in premature babies.

How is it diagnosed? Although the yellow skin is a fairly good indicator, a diagnosis is made with a blood test to measure the bilirubin level. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) The ductus arteriosus (DA) is a blood vessel in the heart that connects the aorta (which provides blood to the rest of the body) to the pulmonary artery (which sends blood to the lung). It allows blood to bypass the lungs while a baby is still in the womb. How is it diagnosed? Those breathing problems are one clue that a baby has PDA. A heart murmur may also lead doctors to suspect the condition, which is then confirmed with an ultrasound of the heart. Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) One of the most common and immediate problems facing premature infants is difficulty breathing. Although there are many causes of breathing difficulties in premature babies, the most common is called respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The symptoms usually appear within minutes of birth, although they may not be seen for several hours. Symptoms may include:

Bluish color of the skin and mucus membranes (cyanosis) Brief stop in breathing (apnea) Decreased urine output Grunting Nasal flaring Rapid breathing Shallow breathing Shortness of breath and grunting sounds while breathing Unusual breathing movement -- drawing back of the chest muscles with breathing How is it diagnosed?

Doctors suspect respiratory distress syndrome in any premature baby or in full-term infants who are breathing particularly hard and fast or require extra oxygen. A chest X-ray can confirm this diagnosis. A chest x-ray shows the lungs have a characteristic "ground glass" appearance, which often develops 6 to 12 hours after birth. Sepsis Is the body's response to infection that has spread throughout the blood and tissues. Babies with sepsis may: be lethargic have a low or high temperature not eat well have apnea or difficulty breathing appear jaundiced just not act right

What causes it? Sepsis is an infection caused by bacteria growing in the blood. The bacteria can get into the blood: during labor and delivery from the mother from IV lines after close contact with an individual who's infected with, or is a carrier of, bacteria

How is it diagnosed? A blood culture sometimes along with a urine test or spinal tap is used to diagnose the illness. Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN) Rapid breathing in a full-term newborn (more than 60 breaths a minute) is called transient tachypnea. Until about 4 hours after the delivery, this can actually be normal.

How is it diagnosed? Blood tests and X-rays can help diagnose the underlying condition.